Going to the OB

[alison]

Dd has been begging us to take her to the hospital. She loves all things related to doctors, hospitals, health, check-ups, etc.

I told dd I had to go to an appointment yesterday, and that was a huge mistake. That made it even harder to get her to go to school.

When I got to my appointment, I noticed a ton of preschool-aged kids there. I felt pangs of guilt, because frankly, my daughter would get more out of a doctor's visit at this point...

Anyway, I'm thinking a pelvic exam isn't exactly the place I'd want to bring my kid to, but wow, was I surprised that out of the 10 or so women I saw, about 5 had kids in the 2-5 age range.

Do you bring your kids to your OB appointments?

[scrub-jay]

Nope. I was a little worried she'd model it at preschool. :O

[GreyhoundsRUs]

I do, but I really don't have an option. We don't have a ton of extra money for a sitter. The mom I used to swap with has a new baby (her 3rd), and most of my SAHM friends have other kids they watch during the day. I will have a neighbor come and watch DD while I do my glucose test in April - because it is a long appointment.

[alison]

Your dd is still young enough where I'd be ok with it. I'd bend over backwards to schedule my appointments on post-call days so that my talkative, nipples and penis-curious toddler wouldn't witness the checkup.

[ladymoreta]

Yep, loading them both in the double stroller and bringing them along next week. Now that DS is in preschool, I'd typically schedule it for a day when I only had DD, but I let my BCP prescription run out, so I had to take the first available. DS came to almost all of my OB appointments when I was pregnant with DD.

[GreyhoundsRUs]

Your dd is still young enough where I'd be ok with it. I'd bend over backwards to schedule my appointments on post-call days so that my talkative, nipples and penis-curious toddler wouldn't witness the checkup.

Except she's super clingy. It's hard having a pelvic and breast exam with a squirmy 13 month old on you No post-call days here anymore (not for PGY-3+).

[migirl]

I always took all of my kids to all of my OB appointments, too. My oldest was almost-5 and my younger one was 3.5yo toward the end of my last pregnancy, I don't recall it ever being weird or awkward with both boys there. I just always made sure to bring snacks and activities (Leapsters, etc) to keep them occupied. *shrug* I dunno, it honestly never occurred to me NOT to take them with me!

[bokelley]

Working in an ob/gyn office. I say no. But I am grumpy today so pay no attention.

[GreyhoundsRUs]

The issue at our OB is that there is no room for a stroller. Umbrella, barely, but otherwise, you can't get from the door to the exam table.

[MrsK]

I took K1 with to an ultrasound once when I was pg with K2. I had K1 in a stroller so he couldn't touch anything. He was probably about 15 months. He freaked out and began screaming when we heard the baby's heartbeat. I haven't taken him with me to the doctor since.

[Chrisada]

I've done it. In fact my OB has flat out told me to bring the boys! No big deal.

ETA I had to take my then 27 month old to my six week check up after delivery and I remember him screaming, " What are you doing to my mommy!!" He had to sit on my boobs while she checked me out to keep him calm. But all the other times were fine.